Dying Light: Land of the Rising Dead
by MikeyKratos
Summary: After two hellish years of fighting for his life, Kyle Crane somehow manages to lead what little survivors that remained at The Tower out of Harran. After a surprising encounter with a reformed GRE, Crane chooses to go into an early retirement and live the rest of his life in luxury. But fate, as usual, has other plans for him. (Heavy Dying Light AU, Slight HODT AU)
1. Prologue Part One: The Harran Incident

Prologue Part One: "The Harran Incident"

Kyle Crane is many things. He is a runner, a fighter, a soldier… and a survivor. But if there is one thing that he is not, it is a liar. So when he and the group of survivors he had managed to lead out of the city of Harran were "retrieved" by the GRE and told that everything they had been through would be covered up so as not to cause worldwide panic… Well, to put it frankly, he was pretty pissed. Two years, two hellish years of fighting, starving, and suffering would be swept under the goddamn rug, just so that everyone at the GRE and the government officials affiliated with them could keep their jobs? Not on his watch. Or, that's what he thought at least, before he was pulled aside by the company's CEO himself and told, in great detail, of what had happened after Crane went AWOL.

After the final (and most satisfying in Crane's opinion) interaction between them, the organization immediately started making plans to send a strike team into the city of Harran. This team would have had two primary objectives: To retrieve the file that Crane had refused to deliver, and to hunt down and silence the former operative by any means necessary. And the plan would have been put into action as well if it weren't for a sudden, and unexpected change in the GRE's leadership. As it turned out, Kyle Crane wasn't the only one giving the company trouble at the time. After word had gotten out that he had refused to continue his mission, a group of very influential and wealthy individuals with half a conscience carried out what could only be described as a company-wide coup d'état. After gaining the support of both the less influential work force and a suprising number of the GRE's sponsors, the current CEO and a number of his associates took advantage of the company's moment of disarray and seized it with relative ease. The GRE had been so focused on trying to hide their mistakes that they hadn't realized there were some people who wanted to fix them instead. At first, Crane didn't believe a word that came out of the old man's mouth, and for good reason too. Over the course of his employment, Crane had come to realize that the only things the GRE cared about were their reputation and monetary gains, throwing the wellbeing of the people that they were supposed to be "relieving" to the wayside. In other words, they were professional bullshit artists, and Crane didn't want to believe them even for a second. However, his distrust of the company's words began to waver when the CEO placed the briefcase he had been carrying onto the table that separated them and opened it, revealing its contents to the wary runner.

Crane was nothing short of shocked to find personality files on every single member of the GRE that had been replaced, which included even the woman who had relayed his orders to him during his time in the field. Crane took his sweet time reading through every single one of them, wanting to make sure of two things: That the files on the people he did know of were correct, and that the GRE wasn't trying to trick him again. And as he read on and on, the runner couldn't help but take note of how detailed each file was, some of them revealing new information on people Crane had thought he knew everything about. But amongst the wealth of information that each file offered, there was one piece of personal information that brought a grin to Kyle's face each time he read it: The current prison sentences each former employee was facing, which varied from person to person. And he knew for a fact that these sentences were not only real, but would also be upheld after he had been given the opportunity to cross-reference them with the databases of various supermax prisons around the world. When he took into account how secretive the GRE had been even with him, who was their only operative in the field at the time, Crane had to admit: The figurative truckload of information he was presented with was both a little overwhelming…and highly convincing. But despite the piece of seemingly rock solid evidence in front of him, he still couldn't bring himself to trust them, even going as far as to state that they would need further evidence to prove their goodwill. And not only did they give it to him immediately, but also in a way that he never could have anticipated. After Crane had made his demand for more evidence, the CEO simply turned to one of the armed guards that had been watching over them and nodded to him, which the heavily armed man responded to by leaving the room. After about five minutes of awkward silence, the same guard entered the room once again, the fingerless combat gloves he was previously wearing replaced with ones made of rubber. In his right hand he held a syringe filled with a clear fluid, and in his left he held an empty, labeled vial that he then proceeded to place on the table, in clear view for all to see.

When he had first seen the syringe, alarm bells had started ringing in Crane's head as he visibly tensed up, preparing for a fight. But when no one had made an attempt to restrain him, Crane simply looked at the CEO in confusion, who only gestured towards the empty vial in response. Still keeping careful watch of the guards in case they made any sudden movements, Crane took the vial in his hands… and nearly dropped the damn thing when he read the word "vaccine" plastered on its side. The old man simply chuckled as Crane tried to keep his jaw from hitting the floor, the former agent for hire staring at the glass in his hand like it was the Holy Grail. But it wasn't… no, it was much more valuable than that. Crane slowly cast his gaze upwards, his eyes as wide as saucers. But before the runner could even open his mouth, the man sitting across from him answered every question he was about to ask. Yes, it was thoroughly tested, yes, it was completely safe, and yes, it was able to be mass produced with ease. At this revelation, Crane felt like jumping out his chair with joy. No longer would he, nor any of the other survivors have to search for the suppressant known as Antizen like a needle in an increasingly lethal haystack. No longer would the survivors who weren't infected have to worry about the very real possibility that they would have to put down a friend or a family member like some kind of rabid dog. And no longer would Crane feel like he himself was only postponing an inevitable, yet untimely and horrible fate.

At that very moment, Crane felt like lunging out of his chair and wrapping the business- suit wearing man in his arms, but didn't, as the guards would most likely misread his intentions and gun him down on the spot. He would have to settle for a teary-eyed, firm handshake instead, which the CEO of the GRE returned with gusto. The former runner still had some questions, though now he asked them out of curiosity rather than distrust. Crane first asked why the man had chosen to take over the GRE instead of start a company of his own. The CEO stated that even though he did indeed have the resources to do so, the GRE had been crushing any and all signs of competition ever since its founding in 2002, using methods ranging from company buyouts to straight up corporate espionage. And the fact that he would've been a former employee would only encourage them to crush the competition he could potentially put up faster. Finding this answer satisfactory, Crane moved on to the second question he wanted to ask: How much would the vaccine cost to obtain? In response to this, the CEO merely smiled, and stated that all infected survivors that the GRE had and will come across will be administered the recently perfected vaccine completely free of charge. Crane let out a sigh of relief at this answer, who, after a minute or two of deep contemplation, thought of a third, and final question to ask.

Now, this third and final question, despite that fact that Crane had only thought of it after getting the answers to his first and second ones, weighed on his mind the most heavily. After a short period of hesitation, the former gun-for-hire turned zombie killing traceur asked a simple, yet incredibly important question: "What happens now?"

The old man sitting across from him chuckled.

"Now…" The old man slid both a check and a badge across the table.

"Now you retire, my friend."


	2. Prologue Part Two: Present and Past

Prologue Part Two: A Time of Peace

From the moment he had stepped outside of the GRE's FOB in Harran to the moment when he had stepped off his flight to Chicago, Crane felt as though he was walking through a thick, fog-like haze. Just a week ago he was running for his life from hordes upon hordes of angry, cannibalistic mutants and using whatever makeshift weapons he could scrounge out of the trash to defend himself from said mutants. For the longest time, he had forgotten what the luxuries the modern world had to offer. He had forgotten what clean clothes smelled like. He had forgotten what freshly cooked food tasted like. He had forgotten what soap and hot water felt like against his skin. His entire existence for the past two years had been nothing but pain, fear, and borderline starvation. But now here was, standing in the middle of O'Hare International Airport wearing a simple (but more importantly CLEAN) outfit consisting of a t-shirt, cargo shorts, and running shoes while sporting a quarter-pound cheeseburger in one hand, and the handle of his suitcase in the other. Crane scanned the various signs for the one that would point him towards the exit. Once he found it, he started walking and essentially put his legs on autopilot while he, for what might have been the hundredth time in the past twenty-four hours alone, tried to mentally reacquaint himself with his surroundings. He wasn't used to seeing so many healthy, happy, and non-dismembered people in one place anymore. Nor was he used to the idea that there wasn't something waiting to ambush him around every corner he turned. In his mind he knew that wasn't the case anymore, but his body and instincts didn't. Luckily he had something to help distract himself from the instinctual fear of getting jumped by mutant cannibals and, with shaky hands, lifted the cheeseburger he was currently holding to his mouth. And with but a bite of that succulent, juicy deliciousness, Crane felt his underlying anxieties melt away. And with about a minute or two of more walking, Crane saw that he was approaching the main entrance. After making his way outside, Crane hailed a Taxi bound for the one place he vowed to return to if he survived the hell that was Harran: His childhood home.

* * *

Crane's home was about what you'd expect an upper-middle-class family to live in, complete with a fresh coat of paint and a white picket fence. As he approached the front door, a wave of emotions and childhood memories battered him. For it was in this moment where the haze he had been in since his rescue at the hands of the GRE had finally parted. It was then Crane realized that the living hell that was Harran was well and truly over. He had fought, and killed, and struggled, and starved, and bled… But in the end, he was still breathing. It took all of his mental fortitude not to break down right then and there, and his restraint practically crumbled when, after ringing his old doorbell for the first time in almost a decade, he laid eyes upon his Mother's face.

Time seemed to fly after Crane's reunion with his parents, which was filled with teary-eyed smiles and warm reminiscence. He spent hours catching up with them, asking about everything he could think of. How his parents had been, how retirement was treating his father, how the neighborhood had changed throughout the years. But there was one question that weighed on Crane's mind the most. After taking a sip of coffee that his mother, bless her heart, had immediately started brewing after he stepped inside, Crane asked the question that was on his mind:

"So… How's Andrew?"

* * *

Kyle Crane and his brother Andrew had been practically inseparable as kids. They ate together, fought together, slept together, cried together, and (until Crane had been fully potty-trained) even went to the bathroom together. In fact, the first time that Crane had spent any significant amount of time away from his brother was when Andrew had to move overseas for work. Kyle was sixteen at the time, and his brother a twenty-two-year-old college graduate with nothing but a degree in aerospace engineering and a dream. A dream that seemed to have come true when he was offered the position of Aviation Electronics Technician for Ryusei Incorporated, one of Japan's largest tech conglomerates. After Andrew had confirmed that the job offer was legitimate, he packed his bags, bid his family a bittersweet farewell, and booked a flight bound for Tokonosu, Japan. It was there where he not only began his rather successful career, but also met the love of his life: Yui Komuro. But while things on Andrew's side of the pond seemed to be going well, the same couldn't be said for Crane's. The absence of his brother was a huge shock to him mentally, and he spent many sleepless nights wishing that Andrew were back at his side. Sure, things moved on, and Andrew still kept in touch, but things just weren't the same. Eventually, Crane and his brother drifted apart, and their interactions became afterthoughts in the back of each other's minds. In the coming years, Crane would find his own passions and dreams, one of which was serving in the United States military. He was looking to go into basic training as soon as he turned eighteen, but his plans were delayed by something far more important. Before he could begin his career in the Armed Forces, Crane had a wedding to attend.

* * *

"Damn… I guess it's true what they say." Kyle said, staring with a stern expression at his reflection.

"Oh? And what's that?" a man beside him asked, genuinely curious as to what could make the young man don such a serious face.

The unmoving frown on Kyle's face gave way to a cocksure grin as he ran a hand through his brown, slicked back hair: "The suit really does make the man after all!"

The other man, who stood a few inches taller than Kyle scoffed at his answer, not taking it seriously in the slightest. "Yeah, well are you gonna' be done stroking your own ego anytime soon? Because the ceremony starts in fifteen minutes and I'd prefer not to be late for my own wedding. And besides... I look better than you do anyway." Andrew said, now sporting a grin of his own.

"Hey, relax hotshot, I'm finishing up now. I'm not about to embarrass myself at my brother's wedding by looking like a slob. And of course you look better than I do! Like you said, it's YOUR wedding!" Crane shot back in an attempt to defend himself.

Andrew's grin only wider as he considered his brother's point. The elder Crane ran a hand through his freshly groomed beard as he conceded. "Well, shit. You got me there. Just make sure you're ready in the next ten minutes. I'm ready to get this thing started."

And with that, Andrew made his way out of the bathroom, followed by Crane. The ceremony itself began a few minutes later and despite some unspoken tension between Andrew and Yui's father (who wore an expression of acceptance rather than excitement), the ceremony went perfectly. The reception started shortly afterwards, and also went fairly well. Everyone involved ate good food, drank strong alcohol, made drunken toasts, and danced drunken dances. The celebration went on well into the late hours of the night, which proved to be a little too much for not only Crane, but also for Andrew and Yui as well. After making their way off the dance floor, the three of them stepped outside and welcomed the cool evening air with open lungs. For a while they were content to sit at the table they had found in silence, but it didn't take long for a conversation to start up once they had gathered their bearings.

* * *

Kyle leaned forward in his seat as he got comfortable, making sure not to spill his drink in the process. He and Andrew were currently engaged in a bout of brotherly banter as Yui sat on the sidelines and laughed at their antics. The two were hell-bent on trying to embarrass each other in front of the newlywed bride, even going as far as to tell stories from their childhood. Kyle talked about a particularly memorable skateboarding accident that Andrew had when they were kids. The first time he had tried kicking off the ground to start rolling, the board had moved… but only half of Andrew followed. He had ended up doing a complete split onto concrete, smashing his manhood into the ground. As embarrassing as the story was, Andrew took it in stride, and shot back almost immediately. Andrew recounted the time that Kyle had tried to woo his middle school sweetheart, only to end up tripping over an untied shoelace which resulted in a broken nose. At this point, Yui was too busy trying to control her laughter to attempt any kind of mediation between them, but she soon learned that she didn't have to. Soon after Andrew had spoken of Kyle's romantic plights, the conversation began to take on a much more genuine, light-hearted tone.

"I guess I shouldn't make fun of you too much though, considering how you turned out." Andrew said, leaning back in his chair.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what the hell's that supposed to mean?" Kyle responded, ready to go on the defensive again.

"What I mean, asshole, is that you're a good guy."

This caught Kyle off-guard, as he was expecting another insult to come flying his way. Before Kyle could think of a response, Andrew continued.

"I mean yeah, you might be annoying sometimes, and yeah, you can be a smartass too. But at the end of the day…?" Andrew leaned over the table and placed his hand on Kyle's shoulder as he spoke.

"There's no one I'd rather have as my brother but you."

Kyle was stumbling over his words at this point, clearly flustered by Andrew's sudden act of brotherly affection. "W-what the hell? It's not even my wedding and I'm gettin' all the compliments…" Kyle said, reaching for the drink he almost forgot he had.

"But if we're gonna' be gettin' all mushy, I think it goes without saying that I feel the same way about you, Andrew."

Kyle raised his glass as he spoke. "A toast! To not only love (platonic or otherwise), but also to the newlywed Mr. and Mrs. Crane!" Kyle cheered, downing the rest of his drink immediately after.

"Uh… Kyle?" Andrew said, a seemingly a bit embarrassed about something. "Mhm?" He responded, still downing the rest of his drink. Yui piped up at this point, seeming even more embarrassed than Andrew:

"It's actually Mr. and Mrs. Komuro now…"

* * *

And just like that, Kyle's good mood had been soured. His lips formed a frown as drank, and as soon as his glass left them, he spoke.

"Let me guess. A request from daddy dearest?" He asked, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"Aw, come on Kyle, he's not that bad." Andrew said, attempting to calm his brother down.

"You didn't see the way he was looking at you two earlier, Andrew. I could see the look of disgust he had on him from all the way across the venue."

Andrew could do nothing but sigh as his feeble attempt at redeeming his wife's father completely failed. "Yeah, I know. He obviously wasn't the most thrilled about the wedding, but he still didn't give us a hard time about it. I guess I should count myself lucky that I even had a chance with Yui at all."

Andrew's shoulders slumped as, for what might have been the thousandth time in the years he had known his wife, he was faced with the fact that her father didn't approve of him. However, he then began to feel Yui's hand wrapping around his own, which brought a smile to his face. Kyle's frown only deepened as he heard his brother talk however, his grip tightening around his glass in anger.

"But that's the problem, man! This whole thing shouldn't have been a matter of "luck"! It should've been a matter of that old coot minding his own goddamned business! Uh, no offense Yui."

Kyle had begun to rant, but as soon as he saw Yui's uncomfortable expression, he immediately backpedaled. Before she could respond, Andrew piped up again.

"You know what? I don't care about what he thinks of us. Because the only thing that matters right now…" Andrew trailed off as he took his wife's hands in his own.

"Is that I get to be with the woman I love for the rest of my life."

After Andrew had said this, he and Yui seemed to get lost in each other's eyes, a sight that Kyle couldn't help but smile at. But while the sight before him did make him happy, Crane thought that things were getting a bit too sappy for his tastes. His warm smile quickly shifted into a shit-eating grin, and then he spoke.

"Wow, Andrew. That's…" Kyle trailed off, searching for the perfect time to finish his sentence. He found it when the newlywed couple's expressions somehow grew even softer than they already were.

"… The corniest fucking thing I think I've ever heard you say. He must really mean it, Yui!"

It took Yui a shorter time to react than Andrew did, the young woman bursting out into a fit of laughter. This was not only because of Crane's masterfully timed joke, but Andrew's reaction as well. It was the elder Crane's turn to get flustered it seemed, a bright red blush adorning the man's face.

"Shut up, you dick! I'm tryna' be genuine here!" Kyle only responded with laughter of his own, only deepening the blush on his older brother's face.

"And besides, it's not like I don't have other reasons to put up with him." Andrew scoffed, secretly trying to move the conversation forward as quickly as possible.

"Whatever you say, man." Kyle said, slowly coming down from his laughing fit. Kyle grabbed his glass to take another swig, but remembered that it was empty.

"Well, as much as I'd love to embarrass you even more, Andrew, I'm getting pretty parched. I'm gonna' go get another refill." Kyle got out of his seat, shortly followed by Yui.

"I'm coming too. I could use another drink myself." She said, grabbing her glass as well.

"Actually, hold up, Kyle. I need to talk to you for a second. Privately." Andrew said, stopping both his best man and his wife in their tracks. Yui stood there for a second before smiling and continuing on her way, wearing an expression of gentle understanding. It surely would have puzzled Kyle if he had seen it, but he was too busy staring at his brother in confusion to do so.

"Oh, sure. What's up, man?"

* * *

Andrew stood up from his seat, waiting until Yui was out of earshot before speaking. "This has kinda' been a long time coming and… I've never really been good with stuff like this, so I'll just come out and say it…" He hesitated before taking a deep breath, trying to maintain his composure as he finished:

"I wanted to say that I'm sorry."

This only served to further Kyle's confusion as he tried to find a reason for this sudden apology. But before he could ask what his brother was talking about, Andrew continued.

"It's just…When we were younger, we did everything together. We played together, slept together, ate together, and even fought together. We spent so much time together that everyone, myself included, thought we were inseparable. But…" Andrew trailed off again, obviously trying to fight back tears.

"When I finished school and moved overseas, I… I was just so excited! To start my new job, to start my new life, that I completely forgot about the one I already had with you. All those days, years even, we spent together… And I just walked away from it like it was fucking nothing!" Andrew's tears flowed freely now, his eyes stinging as continued on.

"What I'm trying to say is: I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not being there for you when you were still a kid. And I'm sorry for not being the brother you deserve."

Kyle stared at his brother with an unreadable expression as Andrew cast his gaze to the concrete beneath his feet. A long silence passed between them.

"Andrew…" Kyle began, his voice quiet, but angry. The elder Crane winced at the tone his younger brother used, knowing for a fact that he had offended him. But he was ready. Andrew was ready to hear that he was resented and hated by his younger brother. He was ready to hear about what a terrible sibling he had been, and how he never wanted to be seen by Kyle again. Because he knew he deserved it. He would face all the anger, resentment, and vitriol with open arms, and grim acceptan-

"Are you out of your _fucking_ _mind_?!"

…

"W-what?" Andrew asked, stunned into silence by Kyle's response.

"I don't need you to apologize to me for living your life, you moron. There's nothing be sorry about." Kyle said, more than a little annoyed at his brother.

"B-but I abandoned you! I left you to fend for yourself when you were only halfway through high school!"

Kyle scoffed at this. "You're acting like you're the only family I've got. It's not like Mom and Dad just forgot about me. I was fine."

Kyle paused for a moment, sighed, and then spoke again.

"Okay, I'll admit that that's not exactly true. I mean yeah, you leaving as suddenly as you did hurt. And yeah, maybe there was a time that I'd agree wholeheartedly with what you just said."

Andrew cast his gaze back to the ground, a feeling of shame rising in his chest.

"But as time went on...? Things got easier. And the more I thought about it, I began to notice something."

Kyle took a step closer to his brother.

"Whenever you would call to catch up or visit for the holidays, you'd always be wearing this big smile, like you were always in a good mood. It was when you brought Yui overseas for the first time though, when I realized that you hadn't moved because of money, or because you had forgotten about me. No, you left so that you could follow your dreams, and so that you could find happiness. And I could never hate you for that."

Kyle hugged his older brother for the first time in years as he continued.

"I love you, brother. And there isn't anything in the past, present, or future that could make me feel otherwise."

The two brothers held each other tightly as years of unspoken words and emotions poured out of them in the form of tears. The two separated after what felt like an eternity, both feeling as though a weight had been lifted from their shoulders. Andrew dried his eyes as he took a deep breath, relishing in the cool nighttime air. Kyle did the same, except he reached for his empty glass as well.

"Now I don't know about you, but all that crying made me pretty thirsty. What do you say we head back inside and get some more drinks?" Kyle said, already turning towards the way they came out.

Andrew chuckled. "Sounds like a plan to me!"

As they were heading back inside however, Andrew stopped dead in his tracks, a look of remembrance flashing onto his face. Before Kyle could ask him what was wrong, Andrew placed his hand on his forehead and spoke. "Oh shit, that's right! There's one more thing I wanted to tell you!" Andrew said, making his way to Kyle's side.

* * *

Back inside of the venue, some of the guests had seen the Crane brothers along with Yui step outside to have a chat. They didn't really pay any mind to it at first, but when the bride had left the groom and his best man to chat, that was when some of them became curious, if not concerned. One of the guests was about to ask what the two of them were discussing, when Kyle had screamed it at the top of his lungs.

"IM GONNA' BE AN UNCLE?!"


	3. Chapter One: Déjà Vu (Updated)

Chapter One: Déjà Vu (Updated)

It was a bright and sunny day in downtown Tokonosu. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and the cherry blossoms swayed in the warm spring breeze. Former GRE Operative Kyle Crane took it all in as he went about his business like he did every time he hit the town. The sights of the city never seemed to get old to him, always striking him with the same intensity as they did when he first laid eyes on them. It was one of the many reasons he was always excited to go out. He knew that, among other things, the beautiful scenery would always be there waiting for him. The scenery wasn't the only reason he had decided to go out today, though. Crane was currently making his way to Fujimi Academy, the private school that his nephew attended. He had noticed the boy was feeling pretty down in the dumps lately, so Crane decided to surprise his nephew by meeting him as he left for the day.

They had last spent time together about a week ago when the two of them had made plans to go out for lunch. The day had started well enough: They walked around town, hit up a local arcade, and finally stopped at a local Yakiniku place to silence their rumbling stomachs. They had struck up a conversation as they waited for their food to be ready, and it didn't take long for Takashi's mood to take a turn.

* * *

"Man, I'm starving! Who knew playing video games all day could work up such an appetite!" Crane said, putting a hand over his grumbling stomach. Takashi grinned.

"I know, right? That's why this place is so cool. It's right next to the arcade, and beef is juicy as hell! That being said, you sure you're okay with paying for us? I'm not exactly hurting for money right now, and this place can be kinda' pricey…" It was at this point a waitress had brought them their beef, and the two of them gave her a polite smile before they continued their conversation.

Once the server had left to continue her duties, Crane rolled his eyes. "I'm the one who suggested we go out in the first place, remember? It only seems fair that I should be the one to pay the bill. And besides…" He leaned back in his chair before continuing. "It's not like I'm short on funds either, kid."

"Oh yeah, I forgot! You recently went into retirement, right? Congrats!" Takashi cheered, placing a strip of raw meat onto the grill that lied between them.

Kyle's smile wavered as he responded. "Thanks, kid. Truth be told, not many people get to see retirement in my line of work, so I guess I should count myself lucky." Those words held more meaning than the teenager could ever realize, and Crane reflected on them while Takashi eagerly waited for his meat to cook.

For most of his adult life, Kyle Crane had put his life on the line to help save others. From the war-torn country of Iraq to the undead infested streets of Harran, the former gun for hire had been in more life-threatening situations than he cared to admit.

He had lived in that nightmarish hell-scape for two whole years, fearing for his and his friend's lives all the while. Most of his time was spent either running or fighting for his life, having to rely solely on his instincts to get by.

There was never a guarantee that he would make it out of there alive, especially after he had been infected. It had felt as though with each passing day, the odds of his survival would only get worse and worse. More and more of the remaining survivors were torn apart by the infected, only to rise again to join their ranks. Supplies only grew scarcer over time, and going a day or more without eating had become a common occurrence amongst those who still lived. The undead would only grow bolder and bolder as time went on, and the survivors' defenses grew weaker and weaker with each passing night.

But despite how bleak things had looked at the time, despite how high the odds were stacked against him, he had persevered. And after ten more years of horrible dreams and sleepless nights, Kyle had put Harran behind him. He was done surviving. And now it was time for him to live.

"Uncle Kyle?" The sound of Takashi's voice ripped Crane from his inner thoughts, and he felt like smacking himself when he saw the concerned look on his nephew's face. "You okay? You kinda' just started spacing out for a second…"

He waved dismissively as he responded. "Huh? Oh, yeah! Sorry about that kid, I was just… thinking about something. Didn't mean to worry you."

"Uh-huh… Well, if you say so." Takashi grinned before he continued. "Just make sure you don't go senile on me, old man."

"Old man?! I'm thirty-five, you little punk!"

"I don't know, thirty-five seems plenty old to me. Hell, I can already see your hair turning gray…"

A moment of silence passed between them before they both erupted into laughter, the good-natured banter finally getting the better of them. Crane, while a little annoyed at his nephew's teasing, couldn't help but admire how quickly the boy had changed the tone of the conversation they were having. Takashi reminded him more and more of his brother every day, and it was clear that though it hid under a layer of smarminess and sarcasm, he had inherited his father's kindness. The two grilled and ate their meat in silence for a time, enjoying their food and each other's company. Crane wasn't about to take his nephew's teasing lying down, though. He figured it was time to turn the tables.

After swallowing a particularly juicy strip of fried beef, Crane cast his expression downwards, mock sadness written all over his face. He then let out a long, wistful sigh, and spoke.

"You know what, kid? You're right. I am getting pretty old… So surely you wouldn't mind letting a rickety old geezer like myself reminisce to you for a while, right?"

Takashi simply smiled and rolled his eyes in response. "Oh, God. Here we go…"

"Indeed, there are many things I miss from my days as a strapping young lad!" Crane continued, ignoring his nephew's offhand comment.

"The days spent gallivanting around town, having fun without a care in the world…"

"Didn't we just come from the arcade-"

"The nights I spent under the stars with my brothers in arms, helping to bring peace to a war-torn country…

"I thought you said you hated-"

"However, my dear nephew: There is one part of my youth I miss more than any other…"

Takashi raised an eyebrow as his uncle paused for dramatic effect, the silence only serving to annoy him further.

"And that is feeling of young love!"

As soon as the words had left Crane's mouth, Takashi visibly tensed up. Crane took this as a sign of embarrassment and decided to put the final nail in the coffin.

"And speaking of young love… How's Rei, Takashi?"

"…She's fine." The young man said, clearly uncomfortable with the direction their conversation was heading.

Crane smiled at his nephew's obvious discomfort, soaking it all up like a sponge.

"Ah, judging from your reaction, I take it you still haven't told her how you feel? Tell me, what's your excuse this time? "

Takashi gripped his chopsticks tightly.

"She already has a boyfriend."

Needless to say, that was one response Crane was not expecting in the slightest. The cocky smirk he was wearing quickly morphed into an expression of shock before he spoke again.

"Oh… Shit. Really? Since when?"

Takashi lowered his head in shame.

"…Since last week."

"Damn, kid. I'm sorry. I had no idea…"

"It's… fine. You couldn't have known."

…

Another moment of silence passed between them, though this one more awkward than anything else. Crane saw how the sadness and hurt on Takashi's face, and felt a pang of guilt resonate through his very being. In an effort to console his nephew, he'd offer the only thing he could give in a situation such as this: His emotional support.

"That really sucks, Takashi. I know how you feel, trust me. You want to talk about it?"

Takashi seemed to consider it for a moment but then shook his head.

"Thanks, Uncle Kyle... But not really. Not yet."

Crane smiled and nodded understandingly.

"I get it, kid. Just know that when you are ready to talk about it, I'll be here for you."

After their little heart-to-heart, Crane and Takashi had quickly finished their food in silence before saying their goodbyes. While the young man's mood had been slightly improved knowing that he would have someone to talk to, Takashi was still reeling from the fact that his childhood sweetheart had chosen someone else.

* * *

And that was why Crane had planned this little surprise visit. Some video games, tasty food, and a break from the pressures of high school would surely do his nephew some good, he figured. Before he could think about other ways to cheer Takashi up however, Crane noticed he was approaching a crosswalk. Almost instinctually, he stopped where the concrete met asphalt and looked both ways. He would've crossed immediately after doing so, but he spotted something on the horizon that gave him further pause. In the distance rose a large plume of smoke, staining the otherwise beautiful blue sky with a pitch-black streak.

Crane whistled in amazement. "Damn. Smoke's pretty thick. The hell happened? A fire? Some kind of explosion?"

He tried to get a better look at its source, but it was impossible due to the elevation of the ground he was on. As he continued looking, however, Crane began to feel a familiar sensation of worry, a nagging at the back of his mind. And although his survival senses had dulled since he had last been forced to use them, he immediately recognized it for what it was.

It was that feeling he got whenever he would take up watch and let one of his squad-mates get some sleep in the deserts of Iraq.

It was that feeling he got whenever he would brave the streets of Harran at night, the pitch blackness serving to camouflage the undead well.

It was a feeling that only someone who stared death in the face could feel, and someone who risked their life regularly could recognize. It was his "sixth-sense", his instincts, his unconscious mind trying desperately tell him that something was wrong. But that was impossible. His time in the armed forces was more than a decade ago, and the same could be said of Harran. What possible reason could there be for him to feel that he was in danger?

Crane inhaled deeply, then exhaled slowly.

"Look at me, gettin' all worked up over nothing." He said, mostly to himself.

While the feeling of nervousness was still there, Crane couldn't help but feel a little silly. It was just some smoke, after all. A bit of excitement added to his now peaceful life. It wasn't like him to jump at every little sign of danger. And if it was as serious as it seemed to be, he was sure to hear about it later when he tuned in to the local news or read about it when he was surfing the web. There was no reason for him to be as worried as he was.

Crane let out another sigh, this time to help him clear his mind. He basked in his surroundings, choosing to direct his attention to his senses rather than his inner thoughts. He looked to an un-tainted portion of the sky, seeing that it was just as blue and beautiful as it was when he had started his day. He breathed inwards for a third time, the air feeling cool and tasting crisp as it filled his lungs. He listened calmly as the Sakura trees swayed gently in the wind, as the birds who were nesting in them sang their songs, and as distant screams emanated from the direction he was heading.

…

It didn't take long for Crane to realize what he was hearing, but when he did, he broke into a full sprint towards Fujimi Academy.

* * *

A million possibilities raced through Crane's mind as he ran, and none of them were good. Whatever was going on caused too many screams to be some kind of accident. As much as he wished to forget it, Crane knew what a large group of people who were in mortal danger sounded like. It wouldn't be long until he reached his destination though, and after turning one last street corner, the front entrance of the school was in full view.

Fujimi Academy was a private school and a fairly prestigious one at that. Not just anybody could meet the school's strict acceptance standards, as its administrators sought to separate the wheat from the academic chaff. They even went as far as to physically express this, gating off every entrance to the school grounds with bars of thick iron and walls of solid concrete. These gates would remain closed and locked from the beginning of the school day to its end, remaining unlocked until nighttime for students who participated in clubs and other afterschool activities. Crane knew this well as whenever he would visit Takashi, he would always manage to arrive too early to pick him up, and would be forced to wait. He had arrived early today as well, though the gate that usually kept him from seeing his nephew was left wide open, a sight that worried him deeply. He jogged up to the normally restricted entrance and paused as heard himself step in something wet. He looked down and froze when he saw what was now covering his shoe.

Blood. Crane grimaced and kneeled to get a better look at the stuff, being careful not to stain anymore of his clothing. "Hasn't even started to coagulate yet. Shit, this is fresh…"

Any further thoughts he had about the scarlet liquid ceased as he heard an indistinguishable noise from beyond the wall. He kept even his breath silent as he listened for any further sounds, and what he heard next chilled him to the bone. The voice sounded young, which only served to unnerve him even more. It formed no words, only a horrible noise that sounded like a cross between a moan of pain and a gasp for air. Crane shot to his feet and stormed through the entrance, hoping to offer whatever help he could. As he entered the school grounds, he saw the full extent of the grounds for the first time in his life. He still had a ways to go before he could actually get inside the school building itself, though that wasn't his primary focus at the moment. No, what Crane zeroed in on almost immediately were the two people in front of him on the ground. The person closest to him was a high schooler, evident by the black uniform he was wearing. He was kneeling with his back turned to the gate, keeping Crane from seeing his face. The second person, a woman who appeared to be in her thirties, was lying on her back in front of the kid. Both of them were covered in blood, and the kid was the only one who was moving, his small frame swaying gently from side to side. Crane made his way over to them quickly, seeking to perform any first aid that he could before he called an ambulance. However, before the offer to do so even left his mouth, he heard a horribly familiar sound that rooted his feet to the ground and turned his blood to ice.


End file.
